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World Cup-winning Kiwis Lance Hohaia, Manu Vatuvei and Sam
Rapira, plus the returning Stacey Jones and major new signings
Denan Kemp and Joel Moon will all feature for the New Zealand
Warriors in their National Rugby League trial against Melbourne in
Hamilton on Thursday.

Coach Ivan Cleary hasn't confirmed his starting combination but
every player named is due to spend time on the Waikato Stadium
field.

It is the club's first of three warmup matches ahead of their
NRL opener against Parramatta in Auckland on March 14.

The match will be great halfback Jones' first for the club in
1265 days. He last played for the Warriors against Manly on August
27, 2005.

Ex-Brisbane teammates Kemp and Moon will debut for their new
club.

Winger Kemp was the Broncos' top tryscorer last year with 19 in
24 matches while Moon, who has been used mainly in the centres in
his 31 NRL matches so far, is expected to feature at standoff on
Thursday night.

Another newcomer making his club debut will be Auckland-born
halfback Liam Foran, who will be facing his former club.

Apart from those players and the World Cup-winning trio, the
Warriors will have other 2008 front-liners on show in fullback Wade
McKinnon, centre-winger Aidan Kirk, hooker Ian Henderson, loose
forward Micheal Luck and second rower Ben Matulino.

Also in the side will be 19-year-old prop Russell Packer, who
made his NRL debut last year and was, with Matulino, named in the
national youth competition's team of the year.

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One of their Junior Warriors teammates Elijah Taylor, 18, has
been confirmed in the squad tomorrow night along with other 2008
youth players Leeson Ah Mau, Isaac John, Daniel O'Regan and Mataupu
Poching.

New second rower Jacob Lillyman had earlier been ruled out of
this trial as he continues his recovery from shoulder surgery while
Michael Witt (quadriceps), Evarn Tuimavave (neck) and new hooker
Lewis Brown (hand) were also left out.

Captain Steve Price and centre Brent Tate will miss this trial
as they work their way back to fitness.

Both were ruled out of last year's World Cup final, Price with a
torn calf and Tate with a hip flexor problem.

In the same category is Kiwis centre Jerome Ropati, who survived
the World Cup campaign despite a knee injury.

Halfback Nathan Fien (neck) and second rower Simon Mannering
(groin) aren't playing against the Storm either.